Bodrum Journal of Art and Design

Öz

The development of blockchain technology has enabled the existence of NFTs (non-fungible tokens, qualified intellectual titles) that can be traded with cryptocurrencies. In this study, the relationship of this new exhibition medium with art and economic value is examined through the concept of aura theorized by Walter Benjamin. It is aimed to determine the current position of NFTs in the context of historical value change of artistic production. Aura is conceptualized after the mechanical reproduction of works of art. In the era of digital image production, there is no difference between copies and originals of images, unlike when Benjamin wrote his article. While this article examines the concept of aura in digital art, it focuses on NFT art, which is a sub-branch of digital art. First of all, NFT, which is a fairly new concept, and the blockchain technology that makes it possible were defined, and then NFT examples were examined and categorized in terms of artist and production techniques. The differences, similarities and values of these categories were determined. In the study, qualitative research was used as a method and Gillian Rose's taxonomy of image analysis in the Visual Methodologies book was used. The data obtained on the subject has been evaluated in a theoretical framework by subjecting it to discourse analysis in the context of technological, compositional and social modalities in terms of the artist and the audience sites. It has been determined that the relationship of the art produced for NFT with the concept of aura has changed in a unique way, and it has been observed that the economic value in terms of production and the audience stands out in this new art.